Moments
by Missus Carlikins
Summary: Sometimes the small moments matter the most. [Cana x Lucy; drabble collection]
1. Strawberry

**Notes:** Just a collection of drabbles/ficlets for this wonderful ship. Maybe connected, maybe not.

* * *

She tasted like strawberry.

It was the first thought Cana had since she'd dropped the drunk and stumbling Lucy off at home. Since Lucy had lurched into her, their mouths clashing together in something that could barely be considered a kiss.

Strawberry, and the sharp bite of alcohol.

Lucy had giggled when she pulled away, pressing her fingers to her lips with a quiet _oops._

"You'll regret it in the morning," she'd told her, but Lucy had just smiled a secret smile. Like she knew something Cana didn't.

Cana had just shook her head, ushering Lucy inside and to her room.

Lucy immediately dropped face first onto her bed, muttering something undecipherable before falling into a deep sleep, and Cana had pulled off her shoes. She wrapped a blanket over her shoulders and paused, brushing some loose hairs from her face. She bent slowly, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

She left with a murmured _sleep well_, wondering if Lucy would even remember the kiss in the morning.

Cana knew she'd never forget.


	2. Things to Love

Cana loved listening to Lucy talk, especially when the topic was something she was passionate about. Her brown eyes would light up with excitement and she always waved her hands around, knocking things over and, sometimes, whacking herself in the face.

Her cheeks would flush, the color as soft as rose petals, and Cana was never able to stop the smile from stretching her lips.

Today Lucy was talking about the newest book by her favorite author, and although Cana hadn't read it herself, she found herself laughing along as Lucy told her about funny moments. That was the thing about Lucy, she made you care about things you'd never even heard of.

She made you care about her.

Cana felt the familiar ache in her chest and her breath left her in a quiet sigh. Lucy was the sun and stars, she would blind you if you looked too long, but it was impossible to look away.

"I'm boring you, aren't I?"

Cana blinked, drawn out of her thoughts by the question. She glanced at Lucy, her lips curling with a small smile.

"No, of course not."

"You looked like you were in another place."

Cana waved her hand, dropping it to Lucy's. "I swear I'm not bored. I love listening to you talk."

Lucy pressed her lips together and Cana laughed.

"Okay, so maybe I wasn't exactly _listening_ …"

"Hah! I knew it."

Cana sushed her with a finger to her lips, but Lucy just smacked her hand away. So of course Cana had no choice but to snatch that hand out of the air, fingers twining together until it was impossible to tell where one hand began and the other ended.

"I _do_ love it when you talk," Cana said, her voice dropping as she realized just how close they were sitting.

At some point they'd turned toward each other, and Cana had somehow found her way between Lucy's legs. Which wasn't a bad place to be at all …

Lucy too seemed to notice how close they were, and color flooded her cheeks as she ducked her head. Yet even though her face showed embarrassment, her foot began a slow rub on Cana's thigh that made her breath catch in her throat.

"I love _watching_ you talk," Cana continued in a breathy voice. "I love the way your brown eyes seem to turn golden with your excitement." Lucy's hair slid over her shoulder but Cana stopped it from covering her face, pushing it back behind her ear with a small smile. Her hand stayed at Lucy's neck and Lucy turned into it, her eyes drifting shut. "I love the color your cheeks turn, as soft as rose petals, and the way you make me care about what you're talking about with your enthusiasm."

Lucy flushed, and Cana felt the heat all the way to her toes. She leaned closer, thumb rubbing circles just under Lucy's jaw, and Lucy's eyes fluttered open. Sparks seemed to crackle between them and Cana felt something ignite low in her belly, something wild and hot and uncontrollable.

Her eyes flicked to Lucy's mouth and back, her body shifting impossibly closer.

Lucy mewled, and once again her eyes drifted shut as her body swayed towards Cana's.

They met halfway, their lips brushing once … twice …

The third time their lips met they didn't part, instead Cana's hand shifted, twisting in Lucy's hair as the kiss deepened. She swallowed Lucy's moans, replacing them with gasps of her own, and when she felt the fingers slide through her hair she couldn't bite back the groan. The heat spread further and further until she was sure she had to be burning Lucy with her touch.

"Cana," Lucy gasped against her mouth, and she groaned again, tearing her mouth away to gasp in breath. She pressed her forehead against Lucy's, her eyes shut but her smile wide.

"I love you," Cana breathed. "More so than watching you talk, or kissing you." She opened her eyes, rubbing her thumbs over Lucy's cheeks. "I just love _you._"

"I love you too," she murmured, her brown eyes melting. "Especially when kissing you."

Cana chuckled, eyes dropping to Lucy's swollen lips. "Well then, guess I'd better keep kissing you. Don't want you to fall out of love or anything."

Lucy breathed a laugh and Cana swallowed it with the next kiss.


	3. Canvas

It started after a few drinks, as most things seem to do.

Lucy was stretched out on the bed, cheeks flushed and eyes slightly dazed as she watched Cana paint. Cana tried her best to ignore the gaze and the flames that licked at her fingertips, focusing instead on her portrait.

Then Lucy shifted, sliding off the couch so she sat across from Cana, legs curled under her. She still stared and finally Cana looked up.

"Paint me." It was a command and Cana's eyebrow arched, lips twisting with a smirk.

"I am."

Lucy shook her head, crawling forward until she could push the canvas down. "No," she said, spreading her arms wide. "Paint _me._"

Understanding dawned on Cana and she licked her lips, her chest going tight.

"Okay," she breathed, because really … how could she say no to that. With heart racing she took Lucy's hand, drawing her arm closer. "Any requests?"

Lucy shook her head again, eyes drifting shut at the first touch of the brush. She hummed quietly and Cana dipped her head, hair falling over her shoulder as she worked. If someone were to ask how long they sat like that, Cana wouldn't be able to tell them. It felt like minutes, but could easily have been hours until she finally sat back and put the brush down.

She traced the design with her eyes; a warped tree reaching for the sky, surrounded by various hues of purple. It was impressive, considering she'd had to use an arm for a canvas, and when she raised her eyes to Lucy's, she was surprised to see her looking back.

They didn't say anything for a beat, the silence heavy in the air, and Cana wondered if Lucy could feel it too. Feel the way it pressed against her skin and made her heart stutter in chest.

"It's gorgeous," Lucy murmured, dropping her gaze to her arm. She twisted it to see every angle, raising her eyes back to Cana's. Her smile was bright and Cana's heart twisted. "Thank you."

Cana nodded, packing up her paints. "It'll wash off easily."

"Too bad." Lucy stared at her arm, seemingly enthralled. "You should take a picture."

"You're the photography major, I just do the painting."

Lucy laughed, her eyes squinting from the force, and without thinking about it Cana snapped a picture.

"Hey! I wasn't ready!"

"Too bad."

Lucy stuck her tongue out and Cana snapped another picture, laughing when Lucy squawked another objection.

"Okay, okay fine. Pose for me."

Cana took a few more with Lucy stretching her arm out and posing for the camera until she decided she was happy.

"Send me a few of these," Lucy said, flicking through the photos.

"Can do."

Cana took her phone back, sliding it into the back pocket of her shorts. She threw her back over her shoulder, paintbrushes clinking together, and Lucy stared up at her from where she'd stretched on the floor.

"We should do this again," she said.

"What? Drink alone in your room? We do it like weekly already."

Lucy shook her head and raised the painted arm. "_This_."

"Oh. That." Cana licked her lips and dipped her head. "Okay," she agreed.

Lucy's smile was blinding and she wiggled her fingers as Cana turned to leave.

"See you, princess," Cana said, door clicking shut behind her.

She didn't move immediately, just leaned against the door and pressed a hand against her chest. Her heart stammered against her fingertips and she sighed, dropping her chin to her chest.

Being in love with your best friend was hard.

x

The next time she painted Lucy's leg blue. She started at the ankle with the lightest blue, swirling it upwards, making it darker until it was nearly black on her thigh.

After that she painted a small flower on the inside of her wrist.

The fourth time she painted a sandcastle on the small of her back.

The fifth time … things changed.

They'd been watching a movie, something boring that was barely holding Cana's attention, when Lucy turned her back to the TV and stared at Cana. Cana stared back, at least until Lucy grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head.

Cana may have swallowed her tongue when she realized the only thing Lucy had on under it was a lacy bra.

"Paint me," she demanded, and Cana licked her lips, hoping Lucy couldn't hear the pounding of her heart.

"Where?"

Lucy stretched out in front of her, arms reaching above her head, and Cana took a deep breath.

"Okay," she murmured, reaching into her bag for her paints.

The movie continued to play, white noise in the background until Cana forgot about it completely. She didn't know what to paint, so she just dipped her brush into the first color she saw, her favorite crimson.

The brush glided over the pale skin of Lucy's stomach, leaving a dark red trail in its wake like a splash of blood. When it slid into the dip of her navel Cana paused, eyes flicking to Lucy's face.

Lucy's eyes were closed, a small smile teasing the corners of her lips. The full moon shown through the window, painting Lucy's skin a translucent white. Almost like she _was_ the moonlight herself.

The urge to lean forward and kiss her knotted like a fist in Cana's stomach and she quickly dropped her gaze back to her painting. She dipped the brush into the water until it was clean enough for a new color, gliding her brush over Lucy's ribs. She continued until she was drawn so deep into painting she forgot what she was painting on, at least until the hand closed around her wrist and stopped her.

She looked up, surprised to see Lucy's hazel eyes staring back, bright with moonlight and something else.

"Cana," Lucy murmured, shifting so she was sitting up. Sitting too close.

Cana dropped her eyes, only to jerk them back up when she remembered Lucy's lack of shirt.

"Cana," Lucy repeated, fingers sliding up her arm to grip the back of her neck.

"Lucy."

Lucy breathed a sigh and cocked her head to the side.

"I'm in love with you."

It took Cana a minute to realize she hadn't just imagined it, and another five to react.

"What?"

Lucy's smile was soft, her fingers gentle as she massaged the skin of Cana's neck.

"I've been thinking about it lately," Lucy said, and Cana made herself focus on the words instead of the fingers. "Thinking about you and my feelings towards you. There's always been … something. Something _more_."

Cana nodded, words climbing up her throat, but she swallowed them.

She wanted to hear what Lucy was saying.

"Then that night happened, and I was watching you paint and you were …" She paused, sighed. "_Beautiful._"

Cana felt a flush creep up her cheeks and she dropped her eyes, not caring that the only place she could look was down. The fingers on her neck paused and slid up to brush over her cheek.

"I wanted you to look at me like you were looking at that painting."

Cana licked her lips, and slowly lifted her eyes back to Lucy's.

"I already did."

Lucy laughed, the sound breathy.

"Oh really?"

Cana nodded, shifting closer until she could slid her fingers through Lucy's hair.

"Yeah."

Lucy laughed again, only this time Cana swallowed it with her kiss, pressing closer until Lucy fell back to the floor. All of the feelings she'd bottled up came spilling out and she breathed them against Lucy's skin.

When they finally broke apart she just smiled down at Lucy, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

"I think you got some paint on you," Lucy murmured, and Cana glanced down. Sure enough her painting was now smeared over both of them, but she just laughed.

"The risks of being a painter."

Lucy glanced at the mess and frowned. "I never got to see it."

"That just means I'll have to paint it again."

Lucy glanced up, a smile teasing the corners of her lips.

"How about next time you do it bigger," she murmured, and Cana couldn't have stopped her grin if she'd wanted to.

"I love you."


	4. blanket fort

"It's really not _that_ cold."

Lucy huffed and glared at Cana, burrowing further into her blanket. When she'd woken up this morning she hadn't planned on staying in bed all day, but one glance at the snow fluttering in the sky and her fate had been sealed.

"I don't care." Her voice was muffled slightly by the blanket pulled over her mouth, but she didn't dare move it lower. "My bed is warm."

"That's because you haven't left it in 12 hours." Lucy snorted and Cana shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's comfortable."

Cana rolled her eyes and for a second Lucy was sure she was going to yank the blanket away. Her fingers tightened around it, but Cana just shook her head again, glancing towards the kitchen.

"Have you eaten?" Lucy shook her head and Cana nodded. "Alright then. Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to start a bath for you and you're going to get your cute little butt in there, and while you're doing that I'll prepare."

Lucy's mouth twisted and she peered at Cana, not quite trusting her girlfriend. "Prepare what?"

Cana's smile didn't do much to reassure her, and she turned to leave the room, pausing to shoot over her shoulder, "It's a secret."

Lucy huffed and snuggled further into her blanket as the bath water started up. Maybe if she went deep enough Cana wouldn't be able to find her and she wouldn't have to leave. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Thankfully Cana was kind enough to let Lucy shuffle into the bathroom with the blanket wrapped tight around her, but once there she tugged it away from Lucy's shoulders and threw it over the couch. Lucy hissed but thankfully the bathroom was full of steam so she didn't get _too_ cold.

"Are you going to stand there and watch me strip?" Lucy asked, eyeing Cana in the doorway. "Because if so you should at least join me in the bath."

Cana laughed and shook her head. "Not this time. I have to prepare." But she did step further into the room so she could cup Lucy's face and draw her close, soft lips brushing together. Then she stepped away, closing the door behind her.

"I still don't trust you!"

Cana's chuckle drifted through the closed door and Lucy shook her head, quickly tugging off her pajamas and sliding into the tub.

She stayed in the water for as long as she could, but the second it began to chill she was gone, wrapping her towel tight around her as she braved the outside. She wanted to make a beeline for her room and the bed there, but when she saw the couch she had to pause.

It seemed like every blanket she owned was in her living room, piled on the couch for some strange reason.

"Cana?"

Cana poked her head out of the kitchen, her grin bright. "Oh you're out. Just in time too." She came out of the kitchen with a tray in her hands, piled high with steaming food and two mugs of something warm. "Get in here, girl."

"I'm not dressed," Lucy pointed out, and Cana laughed.

"You don't have to be."

Lucy arched a brow, but shrugged and moved into the living room, only the realizing the blankets weren't just piled on the couch but stretched over the back and nearby chairs in some sort of fort.

"Are we going to have sex in a blanket fort?"

Cana barked a laugh, setting the tray of food next to the entrance and motioning Lucy inside. "No we're not going to have sex in the fort." She paused, a smirk curling her lips. "Although if you _want_ to …"

Lucy laughed and shook her head, dropping to her knees so she could climb in. The ground was covered in pillows and cushions, and she rested her back against the couch, glancing at Cana.

"Regardless of what we do or don't do in here, you're going to have to take your clothes off."

"And why is that?"

Lucy motioned at her body and the towel she still had wrapped around herself. "It's only fair."

"That's true." Cana disappeared from the entrance and Lucy heard rustling as her clothes fell to the floor. "Although, that means you need to lose the towel."

"But it's cold."

Cana poked her head in the entrance, long hair falling around her. "Honey, we're going to be naked cuddling. You're not going to be cold."

Lucy laughed, but she knew Cana was right, and with a sigh she dropped the towel, tossing it out the entrance. Then Cana was climbing in and Lucy realized warmth really wasn't going to be a problem. Once they had their food Cana tugged something and the entrance fell shut, enveloping them in darkness. Just enough light filtered through the blankets for Lucy to make out the dishes and the dark form of Cana beside her, and it was … perfect.

"Alright this is pretty nice," Lucy admitted, shifting so she was pressed against Cana's side. Cana chuckled and handed her one of the mugs, dropping her arm around her shoulders for a quick squeeze.

"I'm glad." They sat in relative silence as they ate, and once the food was gone and the tray out of the way, Lucy twisted so she could climb into Cana's lap. She wrapped her arms around her waist, pillowing her head on her chest.

"So …" Cana said, fingers teasing Lucy's hair. "This is nice, y'know the naked cuddling, super nice and warm. But we _could_ get warmer."

Lucy glanced up at Cana, her expression unreadable in the dark. "Are you suggesting fort sex?"

"I'm always suggesting fort sex."


End file.
